Hell's in Lakewood

By Patrick Williams Fri., Aug. 11 2006 at 2:37 PM

Categories: Cool Stuff That Doesn't Fit Anywhere Else

I began watching Fox's Hell's Kitchen in its first season after developing love and mad respect for foul-mouthed chef Gordon Ramsay, thanks to his BBC ventures. Before the current season, the show held auditions here in Big D. I had friends that went. None made it, but Texas had showing from Euless (Giacomo), Cedar Park (Garrett), Arlington (Larry), Ben Franklin (Polly) and Dallas (Rachel and Sara). For those of you addicted to the culinary throw-down, you're familiar with the smart-ass deli manager from Dallas, Sara (often addressed by Ramsay, affectionately, of course, as "you fat-mouthed cow"). She got thrown in the bin, skewered, whatever, on Episode 7, getting edged out of the final three by a wily Virginia. And while we thought Virginia's antics totally unsportsmanlike, we still find Sara fairly heinous.

Over the course of her stay, she didn't own up to her mistakes, dodged responsibility and lied about her weaknesses, or at least editing would lead us to believe. Had she behaved like a big girl, she could have learned from her time on the line and really come off looking like a winner. Instead, she's just a shit-talkin,' cold-hearted...neighbor?! Apparently. On our last visit to the Lakewood Texaco at Live Oak and Skillman streets we looked straight into her eyes via an autographed Hell's Kitchen headshot, thanking the convenience store for smokes and whatnot. And, yeah, we were just a little shocked that the woman who stood up to the Gordon Ramsay must live but blocks away. We've inquired a few times at the gas station, but thus far have gotten no answers as to where the headstrong Sara is or whose meat she's currently slicing. --Merritt Martin

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